Adventure 16, which is 80-percent owned by employees, was started by Drollinger, who fashioned, at the time, new-age backpacks in his garage in La Mesa. Mead’s uncle, Mic, and father, David, were customers who bought backpacks first and then purchased the business. They turned it over to John, who started by traveling from his home in Idaho in the summers to work at his uncle’s store.

Mead has kept that family tradition of enjoying the outdoors alive and well in his company. Sixteen years ago Adventure 16 started its Donate-A-Pack Foundation to make reusable outdoor gear accessible to organizations that take underserved kids on outdoor adventures.

And today his stores specialize in classes where experts help outdoorsmen and women get the right gear and learn where to go to use it. One of their brochures is “A Million Miles From Monday, Quick Backpacking and Camping Tips You Can Do in a Weekend.”

“Our clinics and the knowledgeable people we hire make a difference,” Mead said. “We get people excited and teach them where to go and how to go safely and comfortably. That’s why our business still exists. We inspire people to go outdoors. We have a million stories to tell.”

For information about upcoming seminars or to donate gear to the Donate-A-Pack Foundation, call the San Diego store at (619) 283-2374; the Solana Beach store at (858) 755-7662 or the Oceanside store at (760) 966-1700. Or check donateapack.org.